Automobile attachment.



E. P. MARTIN.

AUTOMOBILE ATTACHMENT.

APPLIOAQTION IILBD' APR. 21, 1914.

Patented July 7, 191 .1

3 SHBETS-SHEET 1.

Epf'. MARTIN.

AUTOMOBILE ATTACHMENT. APPLICATION FILED 4:11.21. 1914.

Patented July '7, 1914.

s SHEETS-SHEET 2.

' E. P. MARTIN. AUTOMOBILE'ATTAGHMENT. APPLICATION FILED APR. 21, 1914.

Patented July 7, 1914.

Mama

3 sums-slum a.

INVENTOR 514/45 fM/i/Pf N,

A TTORNEYS EMILE FREDERICK MARTIN, OF NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA.

AUTOMOBILE ArrAcriMEn'r.

Specification of Letters Patent.

PatentedJuly 7,1914.

Application filed April at: 191;. Serial No. 833,431.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, EMILE F. MARTIN, a citizen of the United States, and a resi' dent of New Orleans, in the parish of Orleans and State of Louisiana, have made certain new and useful Improvements in Automobile Attachments, of which the following is a specification. Y

My invention is an improvement in automobile attachments, forfreightacars, and has for its object to rovide mechanism in connection with a railroad freight car for supporting automobiles during shipments in such manner that the automobile is prevpnted from movement either'longitudinally or laterally with respect to the car and 1s firmly clamped to the car, without, however, any undue wear on the tires of the car, and wherein the mechanism is soarranged that it may be moved into operative position, or moved out of operative position and be neath the, level of the floor of the car, to prevent interference with other freight when the car is used for other purposes.

In thedrawings: Figure 1 is aside view of a railroad freight car provided with the improved attachment with the automobile in place, a part of the car being in section,

Fig. 2 is a horizontal section of a portion' of the car, Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2 looking in the direction of the arrows, Fig. at is an enlarged vertical section of one of the supports, Fig. 5 is a section n the line 5--5 of Fig. 4, looking in the direction of the arrows, Fig. 6 is .a side view of one of the clamping devices for clamping the wheels to the floor, Fig. 7 is a front view. of. the same, and Fig. 8 is a bottom plan view of the engaging member of the clamping mechanisms.

The present embodimentof the invention is shown in connection with a railroad freight car 1 of'usual construction: as far as the general structure of the car is concerned. The automobile 2 to. be supported arranged within the car. and the attachment consists of a clamping device for each wheel, anda plurality of supports for each wheel. j '1 The car 1 is provided at each-side of the floor with'a longitudinally extending opening 3, each of which is normally closed by a series. of doors 4, each door being hinged at 5 to the adjacent side of the car,in such manner'that it may be swung upwardly against the innerface of the side of the car,

or downwardly into the plane of the floor of the car. i

The doors ofeach series are in 'alinement, as shown more especially in Fig.,j2, and

when the doors are closed into the plane of the car, the car does not differ from the or dinary freight car, and may be used for freight other than automobiles. A shaft or red 6 is supported longitudinally-of the car at the inner side of each of the passages or openings 3, each of the said shafts or rods having its ends threaded,and passed through the adjacent ends of the car, and engaged by nuts 7, to hold the rods in fixed position with respect to the car. 4

The supporting and *lampingmechanisms for the several wheels of the automobile are connected with the rod, in such manner that they may be swung into operative position on the floor of the car at the inner sides of the openings 3, or. below the level ofthe floor of the car, to permitthe closing of the doors a. Each of the supporting mechanisms for the wheels comprises a substantially U-shapcd support consisting of a body 8 and arms 9 extending upwardly from the body approximately parallel With each other, and the body is provided with a depending lug 10 at the outer side thereof, and each of the lugs 10 isprovided with a pair of laterally extending spaced bearing arms 11, the arms extending below the body of the support, as shown in Fig. 4.

The bearing arms 11 of each support 89 are journaled on the adjacent rod 6, and an eye-bolt 12 is arranged between the bearing arms. the eye 12 of the bolt engaging the rod 6. while the bolt proper passes through an opening 13 in the lug 10, and is engaged by a nut 14 at the outer side of the lug 10. Each of the eye-bolts is provided with a head 12* at the end remote from .tlie'eye, for limiting the outward movement of the nut 14:; It willbe evident'that when 1 swung through the adjacent openingfl, into a position such that the body 8 of the support rests upon the bottom of the car, or into such position that the support isbelow the level of the body of the car, and brackets each underface of the car. When the supports are in inoperative position, the outermost arm Streets against the portion 15 of theadaceut bracket arms, and 1s held 1n the position, until it is desired to again use the supports. The supports are also movable longitudinally of the car, in order to provide for vehicles having different Wheel bases, it being only necessary to loosen the nut 14.- to

1 permit this longitudinal adjustment. It will be obvious thatwhen the nut is tightened the support is held from furtherlongitw dinal movement. v

Each of the arms 9 of. each support 8 9 7 is provided with a threaded opening 18,,the

openings being in-alinement, and a threaded rod 19 is engaged with the openings of the. arms, each of the rods 19 extending parallel with the body 8 of the support. Set screws 20 are passed through the upper ends of the arms, and into openings in the threaded rod, to lock the said rods in place in the supports.

A substantially U'shaped gripping member,

consisting of similar sections is supported members consists of similar sections, each section comprising ,ahub 21 jOflI'llZtlGfl on the rod, and an arm 21 extending radially from the hub. The arms 21 are at the outer ends of the hubs, so that when the inner ends of the hubs are abetted, the arms will be spaced apart, to receive the tire 22 of the adjacent wheel 23 between the said arms.

' A look nut 24 is threaded on to each rod at the outer side of the adjacent section of the gripping member, and it will be evident that by turning the nuts 2% in the proper direction, the hubs may be clamped tightly together, While by loosening the nuts the sections of the gripping member may he separated. Two of the supports are provided for each wheel, and the under face of the body 8 of each support rests upon the bottom of the car when the said supports are in operative position, as shown at the lefoof Fig. The arms 21 of the sections of'the gripping members engage opposite faces of the tire of the adjacent wheel, with the peripheral surface of the tire resting against the hubs, and it will be noted from an inspection' of Fig. 4: that the inner faces of the arms at their junction with the hubs are rounded to fit the tire.'

The arms 21 extend to the rim of the wheel, and the said arms of each support are inclined inwardly and upwardly, as shownwheel, each of the said members comprising a threaded rod 25 having at one end a laterally extending bearing arm 26 which is journaled on the adjacent shaft or rod 6, and having; at the other end a head 27.

in Fig. 1. As before stated, two supports A. clamping jaw in the form of a bar 28- is mounted on the rod,.the bar having an opening 29 at one end, through. which the threaded rod 25 extends. The opening 29 is of sufiicient diameter to permit free movement of the bar 28 with respect to the rod,

and lock nuts 30 are arranged on the rod above and below the bar, for fixing the bar in adjusted position. It will be evident that byturning the nuts in the proper direction the car may move upwardly or downwardly.

Each of the bars 28 is provided with a series of depending lugs, namely a central lug 31 and lateral lugs 31. One of the lugs 31" is at the outer end of the bar, while the other lug 31 is near the opening 29. The lugfil is half way between the lugs 31, and. the lower ends of the said lugs are beveled in opposite directions, that is the lower ends of the lugs 31 are beveled downwardly and outwardly away from the central-lug, by each rod. Each of the said gripping A clamping member consistingot the rod 25 and the bar QSisarranged between each pair of supports, and the said clamping members are arranged to swing through the opening 3 of the car and into-and out of op crative position with the supports.

In use the'har 28 is adjusted vertically with. respect to the adjacent rod, untilv the bar 28 may he swung in between the spokes of the adjacent wheel. The nuts 30 are then turned in a direction to permit the bar to move downwardly, until the lug 31 and one of the lugs 31 of the bar engage over 0pposite sides of the wheel. clone, the Wheel is. clamped firmly to the floor of the car, while at the same time the sup ports prevent any wear on the tire, due to oscillating movementof the car.

In practice, an ordinary automobile car will be provided with thirty-two supports, sixteen individual supports, or eight pair 0 1 each side of the car, and there will be sixteen clamping members, one foreach pair of supports. With sixteen pairs of supports, cars may be carried in such manner that there is no possibility of damage to the car or to its tires. The supports and clamping members not in use may be swung down below the level of the floor of the car, so that the remainder of the car may he used for other classes of freight. The doors 4 are made sectional in order that any portion of When this is the passage 3 at either side not used may be closed over the supports and clamping mem bers below the floor. I

Since the supports and the clamping members are adjustable longitudinally of the car, they may be moved to fit any make or size of car, and when not in use and in position below the floor of the car, the car is fitted for any other class of freight. But little change is required'in the car itself, merely the formation of the openings 3 and the addition of the doors l, together with the supporting brackets 1515.

By means of the eye-bolts and the nuts 14 the individual supports may be clamped rigidly to the shaft or rod 6 at the desired position with respect to the car. In use, the supports and the clamping members are swung into operative position after the car has been loaded, and they are then moved to position adjacent to the wheel. The bar 28 of each clamping member is swung over the wheel, and clamped in the manner above mentioned. The supports are then engaged with the wheels, and clamped in fixed POSl tion with respect to the Wheels. The car is then ready for travel. When the car is used for other purposes than hauling automobiles the supports and the clamping members are swung down into position on the brackets 15--15 and the doors lare closed.

1. The combination with a freight car having a longitudinally extending opening through the floor at each side thereof, and

the series of doorsfor closing each opening and hinged to the adjacent side wall of the car, of a shaft or rod extending longitudinally of the car at the inner. side of each opening and below the vfloor, a series of wheel supports mounted on each rod, and arranged to be swung through the adjacent o enin to a osition on the floor of a car at P g l the inner side of the adjacent opening, or to a position below the level of the floor, said supports being arranged in pairs and the members of each pair being adapted to engage a wheel in front and in rear thereof, a clamping member mounted on the rod bestw'een each pair of supports and arranged to swing through the ad acent openings, the

car having means for supporting the sup ports and the clamping members below the 001', each of the said supports comprising a substantially U-shaped member consisting of a body'adapted to rest upon the floor of the can when in operative position, and arms eX- tending upwardly from the ends of the body,

a threaded rod supported longitudinally of the body at the upper ends of the arms and detachably connected with the'arms, a substantially U-shaped gripping member arranged on each rod, each of the said gripping members being sectional and comprising a Hub journaled onithe rod, and an arm extending radially from the outer end of the hub, said arms coiiperating to grasp opposite faces of the tire, lock nuts on the rod at the outer side of each section, the body having at its outer end a dependin lug, and each lughaving a pair of inwarly extending bearing arms journaled on the adjacent rod, said arms being spaced apart longitudinally of the rod, an eye-bolt engaging the rod between the arms, the in having an opening through which the eyeolt extends, said bolt having a head at the opposite side of the lug from the rod, a nut threaded on to the rod for clamping the supportl'o the rod,

each of the clamping devices comprising a threaded rod having at one end a head, and having at the other a laterally extending bearing arm ournaled on the ad acent rod,

' a bar provided at one end with an opening through winch the rod extends, and having on its under face depending lugs for engaging opposite sides of the wheel, said bar being shaped. to extend between adjacent spokes, and lock nuts above and below the bar.

2. The combination with a freight car having a longitudinally extending opening ithrough the iioor at each side thereof, and :the series of doors for closing each opehing and hinged to the adjacent side wall of the car, of a shaft or rod extending longitudinally of the car at the inner side of each opening and below the floor, a series of wheel supports mounted on each rod, and arranged to be swung through the adjacent opening 1 to a position on the floor or a car at the Inner side of the adjacent opening, or to a position below the level of the floor, said supports being arranged in pairs and the members of each pair belng adapted to engage a wheel .in front and in rear thereof, a clamping member mounted on the rod between each pair of supports and arranged to swing through the adjacent opening, the dar having means for supporting the supports and the clamping members below the floor, each of the said supports comprising a substantially U-shaped member consisting of a body adapted to rest upon the floor of the car when in operative position, and arms eX- tending upwardly from the ends of the body, a threaded rod supported longitudinally of the body at the upper ends of the arms and detachably;connected with the arms, a substantially U-shaped gripping member arranged on each rod, each of the said gripping members being sectional and comprising a hub j;ournaled on the rod, and an arm extending radially from the outer end of the hub, said arms cooperating to grasp opposite faces of the tire, lock nuts on the rod at the outer side of each section, the body having at its outer end a depending lug, and each lug having a pair of inwardly extending bearing arms journaled on the adjacent rod, said arms being spaced apart longitudinally of the rod, an eye-bolt engaging the rod between the arms, the lug having an opening through which the eye-bolt extends said bolt having a head at the opposite side of the lug from the rod, and a nut threaded on to the rod for clamping the support to the rod.

3. The combination with a freight czirhav ing a longitudinally extending opening through the floor at each side thereof, and the series of doors for closing eachopeni'ng and hingedto the adjacent side wall of the car, of a shaft or rod-extending longitudinally of the car atthe inner side of each opening and below the floor, a series of wheel supports mounted on each rod, and arranged to be swung through the adjacent opening to a position on the floor of the car at the inner side of theadjacent opening, or to a position below the level of the floor, said supports being arranged in pairs and the members of each pair being adaptedto engage a wheel in front and in rear thereof, a clamping member mounted on the rod between each fair otsnpports and arranged to swing t rough the adjacent openings, the car having means. forsupportinlgthe supports and the clamping members below the floor.

4" The combination with a freight car havinga longitudinally. extending opening throughthe fioor at eachside thereof, and the "series'of doors for closing each opening and hinged to the adjacent side wall of the car, of; a shaft or rod extending longitudinally ofthe car at the inner side of each opening and below the floor, a series of wheel suppprts mountedon each rod, and arranged to swung through the adjacent opening to a position on the fioorvof a car at the inner side of the adjacent opening, or to a position below the level of the floor, said supports being arranged in hits and the members of each pair being a apted to engage awheel in front and in rear thereof,

pair of supports and arranged to swing through the adjacent openings. u

' 5., The combination with a freight car having a longitudinally extending opening throughthe floor atxeach sYde thereof, and the series of doors for-closing each; opening and hinged to the adjacentwside wall of the car, of'a shaft or rod extending longitudi fl vnally of the car at the inner side ot each opening and below the floor, a series of wheel -supports mounted on leach rodyand arranged tobe swung through the adjacent opening to a position on 'thefloor of t e car at the inner side of the adjacent opening, or

toa position below the level of the floor,

said supports being arranged in pairs and and a clampin member mounted on the rod between each the members of each pair being adapted to engage a wheel in front and in rear thereof.

6. The combination with a freight car having a longitudinally extending opening through the floor at each side thereof, and the series of doors for'closing each opening and hinged to the adjacent side wall of the car, of a shaft or rod extending longitudinally of the carat the inner slde of each opening and below the floor, a series of wheel supports mounted on each rod, and arranged to be swung through the adjacent the inner side of the adjacentopening, or to a position below the level of the floor. j

7. The'combinution with a freight car having a longitudinally extending openin through the floor at each side thereof, and the series of doors for closing each opening and hinged to the adjacent side wall of" the car, of a shaft or rod extending lougit'udinally of the car at the inner side of each opening and below the floor, a series 'of arrangec to be swung through the adjacent opening to a position on the floor of a car at the inner side of the adjacent opening, or to a position below the level of the door. 8. A freight car provided with a longitudinally extending opening in the floor thereof and at each side of the car, a shaft or rod extending longitudinallyof the car at each opening and below the floor, a series of clamping devices mounted on each rod and arranged to be swung through the adj acar or to a positionbelow the level of the floor. i A

9, A freight car provided with a longitudinally extending opening in the floor thereof, a rod or shattsupported below the into a position on the floor of the car or to a, position below the level of the floor.

EMILE FREDERICK MARTIN.

I ,Witncsses:

H. L. BALLOWE J. G. BALLA opening to a position on the floor of a vcar at cent opening to a position on the floor of the opening, and clamping devicesmounted 011 the shaft or rod for swinging movement 10. A. freight car provided with a longitua. shaft;

clampin devices mounted on each rod, and. 

